Bapedal raises alarm over Medan river pollution

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan

The North Sumatra Environmental Impact Control Agency has reported than an estimated one ton of dangerous waste is dumped into the Belawan River in Medan municipality every day.

Agency expert Jaya Arjuna said during a recent symposium that the agency had compiled a 12-page report titled Surveillance Results of Belawan River, which found that the dumping of hazardous waste in the river had been taking place for a relatively long time.

The level of pollution in the river exceeds government standards and the water from the Belawan is no longer safe for human consumption or use, Jaya said.

He said that of the five rivers that flowed through the North Sumatra capital of Medan, the Belawan and Deli rivers were the most polluted due to the harmful waste dumped into them by factories along their banks.

"We have found that dozens of factories frequently dump their waste into the Belawan and Deli rivers. The waste dumped into the Belawan River is extremely harmful as it contains high levels of metallic substances, including lead, cadmium and zinc," Jaya told The Jakarta Post following the symposium in Brastagi, a resort area near Medan.

The Post observed the Belawan River and found the color of the water to be dark brown at several locations along the river, including near Medan Sunggal, Kampung Lalang, Klambir Lima and Hamparak Perak. What appeared to be household waste was also seen floating in the river.

Several residents who live along the Belawan said they had stopped using water from the river because they were worried about becoming ill.

"We used to use water from the river to bathe, wash our clothes and sometimes for drinking, but we stopped using the water about three months ago when we started feeling itchy after using it to bathe. It seems that the river has been much more heavily polluted by industrial waste for the last three months," said Uncu, 60.

Uncu, a resident of Jl. Tani Asli, said there were numerous factories along the river. He said that because of the pollution, residents were now forced to dig wells to get water for washing, bathing and drinking.

Misno, 55, a resident of Kampung Lalang, said he had stopped using water from the Belawan long ago. "The water is usually brownish and I see many dead fish in the river. We are afraid to use the water."

Jaya said that tests on the river found high levels of pollution that could be harmful to humans.

"The water can damage the nervous system, cause cancer, blindness and physical defects," he said.

He said the government had to address the problem of waste being dumped into the Belawan and other rivers in Medan.

"If something is not done, we are afraid the problem will just become worse and many people will be harmed," Jaya said.